Single-servce-towel rack.



) R. B. BARBER.

SINGLE SERVICE TOWEL RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1914'.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

is w wa /Aim 7 INVENTOR WITNESSES REUBEN E. BARBER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVAN'IA.

SINGLE-SERVICE-TOWEL RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 191.5.

Application filed January 28, 1914. Serial No. 814,937.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, REUBEN E. BARBER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alleghenyv and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Single-Service-Towel Racks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a device whereby a supply of single service towels may be so supported and locked against unauthorized removal as to permit of convenient withdrawal and use of a towel without attending derangement of the remaining towels. Furthermorefl aim to provide means whereby the supply of towels for the rack may be presented en bloc to the rack and'locked against theft, thereby overcoming necessity of individually threading each towel on the lock rod or bar usually employed as the means for locking the towels in such manner as to permit of their removal in use from the rack to the receptacle for the used or soiled towels. I also aim to provide other new and improved features of construction as will be hereinafter more fully described.

I will now describe my invention so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may understand and construct the same, it being premised however, that changes may be made therein without departing'from the scope of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a towel rack embodying my invention, a receptacle for the soiled towels being shown in association therewith and in vertical cross-section; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the rack substantially iifthe vertical plane of the towel lock rod; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of. Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the locking end of the towel rod and the towel-alining sleeve surrounding the rod.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral 2 indicates the main body portion of a support or rack member which'is formed preferably of bars 3 that may be of any desired cross-sectional shape, such as the angle shape shown, and has the stiffening bars 4 and 5 upon the latter of which the supply of towels 6 rests, as shown in Fig. 2. The top bar member 3 extends downwardly at a point intermediate the corner posts 7 and 8 forming a guard member 9 which prevents derangement of the block of towels in use by holding the towels in a symmetrical superposed position with respect to one another and by causing the per son who desires to use a towel to take the topmost one.

At one end of the frame member 2 is a cross-bar 5' carrying a snap socket lock 10, of any suitable construction, which receives the terminal portion 11 of a towel rod 12 which extends upwardly and downwardly into association with a sleeve standard or socket 13 secured to any suitable support,

such as the floor, and around which member 13 and the rod 12 is placed. a hamper or receptacle 14: adapted to receive the used or soiled towels as they descend upon the rod; the corner of the towel being provided with an eye or opening 15 through which the end 11 of the rod 12 passes when the towels are placed in the rack.

The towels are preferably first placed or assembled in block form preparatory to placing in the rack, preservation of which block form and facility in locking the towels to the rack is secured by means of a sleeve member 16 which passes through the eyes 15 of the towels. This sleeve member 16 preferably first receives the towels after which they are placed on the rack. and the towel rod then looked in position by passing the end 11 thereof through the sleeve 16 into engagement with the lock 10 and simultaneously inserting the opposite end of the rod 12 into the floor socket 13, the sleeve 16 being provided with a bottom flange 17 which prevents thev bottom towels from slipping down and becoming caught under the lower edge of the sleeve 16.

The terminal portion of the rod 12, which is associated with the lock 10 is preferably notched as at 18 to cooperate-with the lock and is preferably beveled or rounded, as at 19, to permit of ready insertion into the sleeve 16 and snap engagement with the lock.

Having thus described my I claim and desire to secure ent is:

1. In a device as specified, a towel rack formed of metal rods and partially open at the front side thereof to allow easy access invention, What by Letters Patto said rack, a towel guide having one end detachably locked within the rack, a sleeve on which the towels are threaded surround ing the guide in said rack, a socket secured to a supporting surface, a receptacle for catching soiled towels adapted to be placed over said socket, said towel guide adapted to extend, up over the edge of said rack and downwardly through said receptacle terminating in said socket.

2. In a device as specified, a rack.adapted to receive a stack of towels, a fixed socket disposed outside of said rack, a removable receptacle having an opening in its base to receive said socket, a sleeve on which the towels are threaded, a guide rod extending at one end through the sleeve and having its opposite end seated in said socket, and lock-,' 7

ing means on the rack for engagement with the rod to secure said, towels and said receptacle in position. j i I In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Sun B. FRITZ. 

